Changchun Police Detains More Than 47 Falun Gong Adherents in One Month

Falun Gong practitioners marking the 25th anniversary of a peaceful demonstration in Beijing, holding banners and placards in London on April 20, 2024. Yanning Qi/The Epoch Times

In the past month, records show that authorities in Changchun have detained at least 47 Falun Gong adherents, intensifying an already severe oppression of the spiritual group. Critics argue this large-scale abduction reflects the regime’s deep-seated fears and insecurities around “sensitive dates.”

“Changchun’s authorities have severely targeted local practitioners in the persecution campaign against Falun Gong,” said Chen Jingyu, a Falun Gong practitioner from Changchun.

Ms. Chen, a victim of the regime’s campaign, recalls being among the 8,000 Falun Gong adherents arrested nationwide before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was illegally sentenced to one year of forced labor in April 2008 and fled China with her family in March 2016.

Ms. Chen noted the proliferation of surveillance cameras in Changchun, which facilitate police monitoring and tracking of practitioners. She told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that persecution in Changchun has been “severe.”

Changchun, a city in northeastern China, holds a significant moment in modern Chinese history. On March 5, 2002, Falun Gong adherents hijacked 32 state TV channels in the city to broadcast nearly an hour of information about the regime’s brutal campaign against Falun Gong. The regime’s retaliation was swift and severe, resulting in over 5,000 practitioners being arrested across the city.

Dr. Zhiyuan Wang, President of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), told The Epoch Times that the regime’s recent large-scale abductions are driven by fears related to the “April 25 appeal” and “May 13.”

On April 25, 1999, when the regime was ready for its persecution campaign launched in July, around 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners peacefully gathered at the State Council Appeals Office in Beijing, requesting the release of detained practitioners, the legal publication of Falun Gong books, and a lawful environment for their practice. Their concerns were met, and the detained practitioners were released.

May 13 marks World Falun Dafa Day, which celebrates the spiritual discipline and its positive impact on millions worldwide and highlights practitioners’ efforts to uphold their freedom of belief amid brutal persecution. It coincides with the anniversary of Falun Dafa’s public introduction and the birthday of its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi.

Dr. Wang believes the CCP stepping up the persecution on sensitive dates showed its fear of the belief in “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” and the strength of believers.

“The CCP’s own corruption and brutality, combined with widespread public discontent and looming crisis, fueling its fear of losing power,” he added.

Some detained practitioners were reportedly released, which Dr. Wang attributes to bureaucratic maneuvering. “The CCP’s typical approach is to coerce innocent people. The persecution doesn’t stop; it merely takes different forms and degrees. Higher-ups advance their careers through these actions, while those below gain benefits from conducting the persecution. As long as the CCP exists, people will not have peaceful days,” he said.

Ms. Chen echoed Dr. Wang’s comment. She believes that local authorities are always nervous on sensitive dates, fearing people would go to Beijing to address their grievances. “The Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the 610 Office want to show their ‘effort and achievement’ in conducting the persecution, so they intensify the abduction and detention.”

Ms. Chen continued to echo Dr. Wang’s sentiments, noting local authorities’ heightened anxiety on sensitive dates, fearing people might travel to Beijing to voice grievances.

She mentioned that local officials abducted her sister in mid-March. Her sister, Chen Jinghui, also a Falun Gong adherent, is currently detained at the Changchun Detention Center.

Between mid-April and May 22, at least 47 practitioners were abducted in Changchun, with 18 on April 19 and 17 on May 10, according to Minghui.org. The operation was orchestrated by the Jilin Provincial and Changchun City Political and Legal Affairs Commissions and the “610 Office,” a Gestapo-like entity established to persecute Falun Gong adherents, according to Minghui.org.

Minghui.org is a website dedicated to the global Falun Gong community and is known for its first-hand reports on the persecution of Falun Gong adherents in China.

Falun Gong is a cultivation practice of the Buddha School, based on the principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.” It includes five sets of exercises and is known for its miraculous health benefits. Before 1999, internal statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security estimated that the number of Falun Gong practitioners ranged from 70 million to 100 million.

On July 20, 1999, former Communist leader Jiang Zemin, fearing the number of Falun Gong practitioners exceeded that of Chinese Communist Party members, launched a campaign of persecution that has continued for 25 years.

Qiao Song contributed to this report.